Commonly prescribed medications that exacerbate heart failure are often continued after—or even started during—HF hospitalization, new research suggests.
News and Updates for Healthcare Professionals
Drugs That Worsen Heart Failure Common in Hospitalized HF
FDA MedWatch - Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant (gabapentin) and Lyrica, Lyrica CR (pregabalin): Drug Safety Communication - Serious Breathing Problems
Improving Management of Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in Older Adults (R18)
Decision IQ: Polypharmacy in the Elderly: Navigating Complexities in Care
This interactive case-based CME activity discusses strategies to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy in the geriatric population. Join expert faculty as they offer their perspectives on the latest evidence for deprescribing management decisions and use relevant resources to answer questions related to a clinical case presentation.
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Culture & Health Literacy
The ideas people have about health, the languages they use and the health literacy skills they have, reflect their cultures. Organizations can increase communication effectiveness when they recognize and address cultural differences that may contribute to miscommunication. Our website has resources to help you improve your cross-cultural communications skills.
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Free Health Literacy Resources
Community organizations are incorporating health literacy strategies to contribute to the well-being of their community. Check out our website for more resources community organizations offer for your communication needs.
Also, check out the Clear Communication Index! A research-based tool that helps you develop and assess communication materials for your intended audience.
Side effects mild, brief with single antidepressant dose of intravenous ketamine
Safety data analyzed from five NIH inpatient clinical trials
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USPSTF Releases Ninth Annual Report to Congress on Evidence Gaps
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released its “Ninth Annual Report to Congress on High-Priority Evidence Gaps for Clinical Preventive Services.”
In this annual report, the USPSTF highlights research gaps from its recent recommendations related to primary care prevention of mental illness, substance use, and violence. These important topics affect the health and well-being of many Americans. The report calls for more high-quality research to understand these complex health issues and how clinicians can meaningfully assist their patients in preventing them.
Topics highlighted in the report include:
Mental Health and Substance Use
- Perinatal Depression: Preventive Interventions
- Unhealthy Alcohol Use in Adolescents and Adults: Screening and Behavioral Counseling Interventions
- Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation in Children and Adolescents: Primary Care Interventions
- Illicit Drug Use, Including Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drug Use in Adolescents and Adults: Screening by Asking About Drug Use
Violence Prevention
- Intimate Partner Violence, Elder Abuse, and Abuse of Vulnerable Adults: Screening
- Child Maltreatment: Interventions
Future research can help fill gaps in these areas and may result in important new recommendations that will help to improve the health of Americans. By identifying evidence gaps and highlighting them as research priorities, the USPSTF aims to inspire public and private researchers to collaborate and target their efforts to generate new knowledge and address these important health issues.
Read the complete report on the USPSTF website.
AHRQ Evidence-Based Practice Update
Treatment for Acute Pain: An Evidence Map
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HHS Releases New Guidance on Opioid Tapering
Recently, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued new guidance on appropriate tapering or discontinuation of long-term opioid use. The new guide, the HHS Guide for Clinicians on the Appropriate Dosage Reduction or Discontinuation of Long-Term Opioid Analgesics, serves as advice to clinicians who are contemplating or initiating a change in opioid dosage for a patient.
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